Hospital Travel Expenses

omen666

Hi guys, hope you can help. My sister has been through a torrid 7 months with her child. She has no definitive diagnosis as yet but she has been to several hosiptals in the region and the Community Care Nurse and her consultant have made her aware that she can claim medical expenses. She is on a low income too.

I just spoke to our local PALS office and they say there are stringent requirements for claiming and that she is unaware of the procedure and shall seek advice and call back. Facts loosely are:

* Sister is on Income Support
* Child just been (last week) awarded Higher Rate DLA
* Child has had 3 operations.
* Child has had a Nissens and also a balloon retained feeding tube
* Child has spent in total approx 6 weeks in in patient stays at various times
* Child has had these ops/in patient stays at 3 different Trusts
* Child undiagnosed as yet so more outpatient visits necessary

We can show the dates he has been in in all trusts.

She has had no money and had to use her own money for petrol in her car and we have supported her in terms of day to day living expenses. She still lives at home with folks.

Can anyone let me know Is she entitled to travel expenses. If so at what rate? She is with Peterborough and Stamfords NHS Trust

Thanks as always

Indie_Kid

She's on income support; so would be entitled to travel costs. The costs would have to be reasonable and they use the cheapest form of transport to decide what she's entitled to. She needs to talk to the hospital / trust about this.

omen666

sh1305 wrote: »

She's on income support; so would be entitled to travel costs. The costs would have to be reasonable and they use the cheapest form of transport to decide what she's entitled to. She needs to talk to the hospital / trust about this.

The costs by travelling by car are far cheaper than travelling by public transport due to the mileage involved and the anstronomical costs of train fares.

She visited my nephew every day back and forth when he was a a in patient can she claim back these daily expenses or would it be classed as one "travel" there was no way she could stay overnight either in the hospital or locally

viv0147

Just tell her to go to the main office with something to prove she is on income support, and the letter for the appointment, and they will give her the money then and there,They pay a milage allowance or refund the amount you paid for the bus etc.

omen666

The lady from the PALS dept just called back and said she spoke to the cash office and that she is not entitled unless he was admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit. She said that these rules are governed by the trust? Can anyone assist? This is for claiming back travel for appointments and admissions that have already occured.

Surely this cannot beright? Even the benefits website and other .gov websites say she can?

sheeps68

You can sometimes get help with healt costs by for HC1. Its an income related form and if you reach the criteria you get an HC2 which allows to claimk for prescriptions, dental travel to NHS appts etc. If you dont qualify for that you may get HC3 which is partial help. For example I've just got that and it states I can claim for travel to appts after I pay the first £21:56 per week

omen666

sheeps68 wrote: »

You can sometimes get help with healt costs by for HC1. Its an income related form and if you reach the criteria you get an HC2 which allows to claimk for prescriptions, dental travel to NHS appts etc. If you dont qualify for that you may get HC3 which is partial help. For example I've just got that and it states I can claim for travel to appts after I pay the first £21:56 per week

Is this the route I now need to go down as the trust have brushed me off?

Indie_Kid

sheeps68 wrote: »

You can sometimes get help with healt costs by for HC1. Its an income related form and if you reach the criteria you get an HC2 which allows to claimk for prescriptions, dental travel to NHS appts etc. If you dont qualify for that you may get HC3 which is partial help. For example I've just got that and it states I can claim for travel to appts after I pay the first £21:56 per week

You don't need this if you get income based benefits. You get full help automatically. The OP's sister is on income support, which is a qualifying benefit.

OP - your sister needs to take her award letter when asking for travel expenses to be paid.

omen666

sh1305 wrote: »

You don't need this if you get income based benefits. You get full help automatically. The OP's sister is on income support, which is a qualifying benefit.

OP - your sister needs to take her award letter when asking for travel expenses to be paid.

Thanks sh1305, are these payable to visits already made where we have the documentary evidence of admissions etc?

welshgirl_michelle

i claim travel expenses to hospital appointments as i am on income support .. if you have many dates to claim - it can only be back dated if its within 3 months of the date you claim